Refrigerator including an automatic ice maker and a door mounted ice receptacle

ABSTRACT

A REFRIGERATOR INCLUDING A FREEZER COMPARTMENT CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT AND AN ICE STORAGE RECEPTACLE MOUNTED ON THE FREEZER COMPARTMENT DOOR INCLUDES A CHUTE FOR TRANSFERRING ICE PIECES FROM THE ICE MAKER TO THE STORAGE RECEPTABLE. THE CHUTE IS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AND CONNECTED TO THE ICE MAKER OPERATING MECHANISM TO PROVIDE A VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE OUTLET OR RECEPTACLE END OF THE CHUTE WHICH IS EMPLOYED TO SENSE THE LEVEL OF ICE IN THE RECEPTACLE AND STOP OPERATION OF THE ICE MAKER WHEN THE RECEPTACLE IS FILLED.

NOV. 23, 1971 L, SWERBmsKY 3,621,658

- REFRIGERATOR INCLUDING.- AN AUTOMATIC ich: NAKAR AND A DOOR MOUNTEDICLl RECEPTACLE Filed Dec. 1'7, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INWJNT( m. LEO5WERE N 5 Kv BY l H \S ATTORNE# L. swERBINsKY 3,621,668 REFRIGERATORINCLUDING AN AUTOMAT Nav.` 23, 1971 IC ICE MAKER AND A DOOR MOUNTED ICERECEPTACLE Filed Dec. l?, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w R 5 mm EB VR mE w 5 oE L Us ATTORNEY United States Patent Office Patented Nov. 23, 19713,621,668 REFRIGERATOR INCLUDING AN AUTOMATIC ICE MAKER AND A DOORMOUNTED ICE RECEPTACLE Leo Swerbinsky, Louisville, Ky., assignor toGeneral Electric Company Filed Dec. 17, 1969, Ser. No. 865,711

Int. Cl. FZSc 1/00 U.S. Cl. 62-137 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Arefrigerator including a freezer compartment containing an automatic icemaker Within the compartment and an ice storage receptacle mounted onthe freezer compartment door includes a chute for transferring icepieces from the ice maker to the storage receptable. The chute ispivotally supported and connected to the ice maker operating mechanismto provide a vertical movement of the outlet or receptacle end of thechute which is employed to sense the level of ice in the receptacle andstop operation of the ice maker when the receptacle is filled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A number of modern household refrigeratorsfeature ice services including an automatic ice maker and a receptaclefor receiving and storing ice pieces produced by the ice maker disposedin a freezer compartment. For stopping the automatic operation of theice maker when the ice storage receptacle is lled with ice, thereceptacle is positioned adjacent the ice maker so that a feeler armstructure forming part of the ice maker and movable at some time duringeach cycle of operation of the ice maker can sense the existing level ofice in the receptacle and stop the operation of the ice maker when themovement of the feeler arm is restrained by the accumulated ice.

There are a number of advantages in being able to mount the ice storagereceptacle on the interior surface of the freezer access door or closuremember and the ice maker in a stationary position within the freezercompartment. The advantages include increased accessibility to thestored ice and a wider choice in the positioning of the receptacle onthe door. However in an ice service of this type, such as that describedin the copending application, Ser. No. 866,832 of Philip J. Direci ledOct. 16, 1969 and assigned to the same assignee as the presentinvention, a chute is used to transfer ice pieces from the ice maker tothe storage receptacle and as the receptacle is remote from the icemaker, the usual feeler arm associated directly with the ice makercannot be employed for sensing the ice level in the receptacle andstopping the ice maker when the receptacle is lilled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to and has asits general object the provision of a household refrigerator includingan automatic ice maker mounted in a freezer compartment, a storagereceptacle mounted on the freezer door and a movable chute or icetransfer means operatively connected to the ice maker mechanism so thatthe chute means is employed both to transfer ice pieces from the icemaker to the door mounted ice receptacle and to sense the level of icein the receptacle and interrupt the operation of the ice maker when theice receptacle is full.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a houlseholdrefrigerator including a freezer compartment having a main accessopening closed by a door or other suitable closure member. An automaticice maker is supported within the freezer compartment and a receptaclefor storing the ice pieces produced by the ice maker is mounted on theinterior surface of the door. A chute for receiving ice pieces from theice maker and transferring them to the receptacle is pivotally mountedon the ice maker and operatively connected to the ice maker operatin-gmechanism to provide a vertical movement of the outlet end of the huteoverlying the receptacle during each cycle of operation of the icemaker. The movable chute thereby functions in the same manner as theusual feeler arm structure to stop the operation of the ice maker whenmovement of the outlet end of the chute is restrained by the iceaccumulated in the receptacle. In accordance with the preferredembodiment of the invention, means are also provided for moving thechute to a position in which the operation of the ice maker is alsointerrupted whenever the receptacle is not in position to receive icepieces from the chute.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section of a portion of ahousehold refrigerator including the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 ofFIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a portion of thechute operating mechanism of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRERERRED EMBODIMENT With particular reference toFIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing, the illustrated embodimentof the invention comprises a household refrigerator cabinet including afreezer compartment 1 having an access opening at the front thereofclosed by a closure member such as a door 2. An automatic ice makergenerally indicated by the numerial 3 is supported on a side wall 4 ofthe freezer compartment and an ice storage receptacle S is mounted onthe inner panel 6 of the door 2 forwardly from the ice maker 3 when thedoor 2 is in its closed position. A chute 7 provides means fortransferring ice pieces periodically discharged from the ice maker 3 tothe receptacle 5.

The ice maker may be any of the well-known types supplied in householdrefrigerators for the automatic production of ice pieces. Theillustrated ice maker is of the type described in Pat. No. 3,163,017'Baker et al. and Pat. No. 3,163,018 Shaw issued Dec. 29, 1964. Such anice maker includes a mold 8 including a plurality of cavities 9 in whichwater is frozen into ice pieces and ejecting means 10 for periodicallyejecting the formed ice pieces from the mold. A housing 11 contains thepower and control means for automatic operation of the ice maker. Thesemeans (not shown) include a motor for operating the ejection means 10and control and operating means for operating the ice maker through acomplete cycle which includes the ejection of ice pieces from the mold,and the refilling of the mold cavities with water. The ice maker alsoincludes a switch 14 forming part of the circuitry for controlling theautomatic operation thereof and adapted to stop the operation of the icemaker when the ice storage receptacle is lled.

In accordance with the present invention, the ice level sensing meansfor operating switch 14 to stop the automatic operation of the ice makerincludes the chute 7. To this end, the chute is pivotally supportedadjacent its inlet end by means of a pivot pin 15 extending through thechute and into the ice maker mold 8 and the forward or discharge end 17of the chute extends into the receptacle or more specifically ispositioned above the body of ice pieces accumulated therein. An arm 18forming part of the operating mechanism of the ice maker 3 and generallycomparable in its operation to the usual feeler arm associated with suchice makers has an end portion 19 slidably extending through an opening20 in one wall of the chute 7 to connect the chute to the arm. This arm18, like the usual ice maker feeler arm, is adapted during each cycle ofoperation of the ice maker to pivot from a lower position to an elevatedposition and to return to its normal position during each cycle ofoperation of the ice maker. lIn the event the arm 18 is unable to returnto its normal or lower position, switch 14 is operated to deenergize theice maker. Through the connection of the arm 18 to the chute 7, thechute is also moved by the arm during each ice maker cycle. Specificallythe chute pivots about its pivot point 15 so that the discharge end 17thereof is raised to its dotted line position as shown in FIG. 1 andreturned to its lower full line position during each cycle. In the eventthat the ice accumulated in the receptacle 5 has reached an elevationsuch that the chute is unable to return to its lower, full lineposition, movement of arm 18 is also restrained thereby effectingoperation of switch 14 to de-energize and stop the automatic operationof the ice maker. Thus the ice maker will continue to operate to produceice .pieces so long as the chute 7 is in its lower position, or returnsto its lower position following an ice delivery cycle.

In order to prevent operation of the ice maker whenever the receptacle 5is not in position to receive ice pieces from the chute 7, as forexample either when the receptacle 5 has been removed from the supporton the door 2 or when the door 2 carrying the receptacle is opened,there is provided a mechanism 22 generally supported on the side wall 23of the cabinet for raising the chute 7 to its upper or stopping positionwhenever the door is open or the door is closed and the receptacle isnot in position.

This mechanism 22 is generally mounted adjacent the front edge of thecabinet wall 23 or more specifically in the area of the breaker strip25. It comprises a lever 26 bent to include one end or arm 27 extendingforwardly through a suitable opening in the breaker strip at a pointwhere this arm will normally be engaged by an end wall 28 of thereceptacle 25 when the receptacle is in position on the door 2 and thedoor is closed. The lever 26 also includes a second arm 29 extendingthrough the breaker strip 25 at slightly below the bottom of the chute7. The lever 26 is pivotally mounted within the Wall 23 for movementabout a pivot pin 30. When the door 2 supported on the hinges 31 isclosed, the end wall 28 of the receptacle 5 is in engagement with thearm 27 thereby depressing the lever arm 29 to a position in which it isout of engagement with the chute 5. Upon removal of the receptacle S oropening of the door 2, the lever 26 is free to rotate in acounterclockwise position as viewed in FIG. 2 of the drawing, under thebiasing action of a spring 33. The arm 29 will then lift the chute toits dotted line position in which operation of the ice maker isprevented. Closing of the door 2 with the receptacle 3 properly mountedthereon will again cause the ice maker to operate unless the icecontained within the receptacle prevents the chute from dropping to itslower position.

An additional function of the lever 26 is to elevate the forward end 17of the chute during periods when the door is open so that upon closingof the door, the chute end will clear the adjacent top edge 34 of thereceptacle.

While there has been shown and described a specific embodiment of thepresentk invention, it is to be understood that it is not limitedthereto and it is intended by the appended claims to cover all suchmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invenion.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A refrigerator cabinet comprising a freezer compartment having anaccess opening and a closure member for closing said opening;

an automatic ice maker in said compartment including operating means forperiodically operating said ice maker through a cycle of operationincluding the discharge of ice pieces from said ice maker;

an ice storage receptacle positioned on the inner side of said closuremember; an ice transfer means pivotally mounted on said ice maker forreceiving ice pieces discharged by said ice maker and conveying said icepieces to said receptacle when said closure member is in its closedposition;

said transfer means including an ice level sensing portion at the outletend thereof positioned to be engaged by ice pieces stored in saidreceptacle when said receptacle is full and being operatively connectedto said ice maker operating means for pivotal movement of said transfermeans away from the stored ice during a cycle of operation of said icemaker;

and means for stopping automatic operation of said ice maker uponrestraint of return movement of said transfer means by contact of saidsensing portion with the ice pieces in said receptacle.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 inw hich said movement is in a verticaldirection.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 including means for preventing dischargeof ice pieces from said ice maker when said receptacle is not inposition to receive ice pieces from said transfer means.

4. A refrigerator cabinet comprising a freezer compartment having anaccess opening and a closure member for normally closing said opening;

an automatic ice maker supported within said compartment and includingoperating means for periodically operating said ice maker through acycle including the discharge of ice pieces from said ice maker;

an ice storage receptacle supported on said closure member; means fortransferring ice pieces from said ice maker to said receptacle when saidclosure member is closed and for interrupting operation of said icemaker when said receptacle is full comprising an ice chute for receivingice pieces produced by said ice maker and having an outlet end portionnormally extending into said receptacle and means for raising said endportion of said chute by said ice maker operating means during eachcycle of operation of said ice maker;

and means for stopping operation of said ice maker when said end portionis restrained from returning to its normal position by ice piecesaccumulated in said receptacle.

5. The refrigerator cabinet of claim 4 in which said chute is pivotallymounted on said ice maker.

6. The refrigerator cabinet of claim 5 including means for raising saidchute end portion whenever said receptacle is not in position to receiveice pieces from said chute.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,934,912 5/1960 Rodgers 62-1373,021,686 2/1962 Alt 62-344 X 3,308,632 3/1967 Winfield, Ir. 62-1373,331,215 7/1967 Shaw 62-137 WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner P. D.FERGUSON, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 62-344; ZOO- 61.21

